Warangal: As many as 67 cows, oxen and buffaloes died after they were fed fodder with pesticide balls on Friday.
The cattle belonged to 30 farmers of Dubba thanda in Maripeda mandal of Mahabubabad district. The farmers did not know about the presence of the balls in the grass they fed their cattle.
The farmers procured the grass from the field of one Banoth Mallu who was ploughing his field after harvesting sweet potato.
He had used pesticide balls to keep the crop from damage. However, some of the balls got stuck inside the leaves.
The villagers cut the grass and took them to their homes to feed their cattle. However, they were unaware of the presence of the pesticide balls.
The cattle which ate the grass died one after the other. More than 100 cattle have fallen sick and are being treated. On coming to know about the situation, animal mobile medical ambulances were rushed to the village and the sick cattle were being treated.
The doctors said the cattle died because of the pesticide balls. Dornakal MLA Redya Naik visited the village and consoled the farmers who lost their cattle.
